diff --git a/trytond/model/model.py b/trytond/model/model.py
index d041675e86..dba0da19c6 100644
--- a/trytond/model/model.py
+++ b/trytond/model/model.py
@@ -137,6 +137,17 @@ class Model(WarningErrorMixin, URLMixin):
                     'Duplicate fields on %s: %s, %s'
                     % (cls, field.name, name))
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _get_name(cls):
+        '''
+        Returns the first non-empty line of the model docstring.
+        '''
+        lines= cls.__doc__.splitlines()
+        for line in lines:
+            line = line.strip()
+            if line:
+                return line
+
     @classmethod
     def __register__(cls, module_name):
         """
@@ -160,7 +171,7 @@ class Model(WarningErrorMixin, URLMixin):
         if not model_id:
             cursor.execute("INSERT INTO ir_model "
                 "(model, name, info, module) VALUES (%s, %s, %s, %s)",
-                (cls.__name__, cls.__doc__.splitlines()[0], cls.__doc__,
+                (cls.__name__, cls._get_name(), cls.__doc__,
                     module_name))
             Property._models_get_cache.clear()
             cursor.execute("SELECT id FROM ir_model WHERE model = %s",
@@ -171,12 +182,12 @@ class Model(WarningErrorMixin, URLMixin):
                 'SET name = %s, '
                     'info = %s '
                 'WHERE id = %s',
-                (cls.__doc__.splitlines()[0], cls.__doc__, model_id))
+                (cls._get_name(), cls.__doc__, model_id))
 
         # Update translation of model
         if cls.__doc__:
             name = cls.__name__ + ',name'
-            src = cls.__doc__.splitlines()[0]
+            src = cls._get_name()
             cursor.execute('SELECT id FROM ir_translation ' \
                     'WHERE lang = %s ' \
                         'AND type = %s ' \
diff --git a/trytond/model/modelsql.py b/trytond/model/modelsql.py
index 3cb79f5060..923ab2e38f 100644
--- a/trytond/model/modelsql.py
+++ b/trytond/model/modelsql.py
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ class ModelSQL(ModelStorage):
                     rowcount = len(cursor.fetchall())
                 if not rowcount == len({}.fromkeys(sub_ids)):
                     cls.raise_user_error('access_error',
-                        cls.__doc__.splitlines()[0])
+                        cls._get_name())
 
         cls.trigger_delete(records)